Clasp or holding device.



B. RUHMANN. CLASP OR HOLDING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 11, 1913.

Patented Sept. 22, 1914.

INVENTOR BHYJAmWb MANM ATTORNEYS JITNESSIfgQ @75 I THE NORRIS PETERS 60., PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON. D. c.

, To all whom, it may concern:

' BENJAMIN RnHMANN; or NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

BeEit. known that I, BENJAMIN RUHMANN, a citizen of'the UnitedStates, residing at Newark," in thefcounty of Essex and State of New Jersey, have, invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Clasps or Holding Devices; and I'do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descript ion of the invention, such as 'willenable others skilled. in the art .to which it appertains to nakeand use the same, reference being hadftoflthe accompanying drawings,

and to characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. I

. The present invention has reference, genera lly, to improvements in clasps, or holding devices, and, the present invention relates, more particularly, to a novel clasp or holding device which is especially adapted for use :ll'l' connection with belts, such as are worn wlth and form a part of wearing apparel, although the said, clasp or holding device may be used as a fastening means in manyzother waysmand for other purposes.

The presentinvention hasfor its principal object to provide a'neat, simple and 7 like wherever, it engages the same.

efiective clasp or holding device for straps,

belts, and the like,wadapted to firmly grip and hold the body of the strap,,belt or Athg i said invention takes the place. of old fashioned buckles, but unlikedthe said buckles is not dependent upon "perforations in the strap oi beltbodyibut will-engagein firm holding-prelation'with anypart of the I strap-body, thus providing for amuch better y I opening 4. Secured upon the underside of adjustment to any desired degree] provide a. clasp for. holding device for the purposes above indicated, which is soicon- 1 structed'that the greater thefstrain u'ponf the strap. or belt body or the greater the tendency of said strap or belt'body to pull of clasps or holding devices for strap,s, belts:

away from clasped relation with said clasp or holding device, the stronger and firmer: the grip exercised by said clasp or holding device upon the strap or belt-body becomes,

and yet the grippingrelation ofsaid clasp or holding device upon said strap or beltbody. may be easily, quickly andsimply re- Specification of Letters Patent.

. A further object of this invent on'istto back of the inner or holding edge 13 0 CLASP on HOLDING DEVICE.

and the like, hereinafter more particularly set forth in the following detailed description of the same, and then finally embodied ;in the clauses of the claims which are appended to and which form an essential part ofthis specification.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a belt provlded with the novel construction of clasp or holding device made according to and embodying the principles of thevpresent invention; Fig. 2 is a rear view of said clasp or holding device, shown in "its connected relation with a belt. Fig. 3is an edge view illustrating said clasp or holding device in its holding or gripping relation with the free end of said belt; Fig. 4 is a similar edge view illustrating said clasp or holding de vice in released relation to the free end of said belt; and Fig. 5 is'a horizontal longi land embodying the principlesof the present invention, the same comprising a framepiece or face-plate formed by the longitudinally extending side-portions 2 and 2 and the transversely. extending end-portions 3 ends,- the same bounding arectangular ears or lugs 5. Supported by-said perforated ears or lugs 55, so as to extend transversely across the rear or underslde of sald frameplece' or face-plate 1s a plntle-member '6.

Pivotally mounted upon said pintle-member 6, byineans of its perforated hinge-knuckle 7is a clamp-frame 8." Said clamp-frame extends forwardly and is provided at its free end with a transversely extending draw-bar '9. Extending transversely from side to side of'said clamp frame and spaced slightly back of said draw-bar 9 so as to provide a strap-opening 10, is a clamp-bar 11, the engaging edge 12 of which registers slifghtlg ,sal

Patented Sept. 22, 1914.. H l npplication filed July 11', 1912. Serial no. 708,810.

U ED MW OFFICE.

transversely extending end-portion 3 of said frame-piece or face-plate.

tween the frame-piece or face-plate and said.

clamp-frame so as to be permanently secured by one end to said clasp or holding device. a

The other or free end 16 of said belt or strap 14 is passed through the strap opening from the under side of said clamp-frame so as to lie between said draw-bar 9 and said clamp-bar 11, and is thence passed upwardly throughthe rectangular opening 4 of said frame-piece or face-plate so as to lie adjacent to the inner or holding edge 13 of said transversely extending end-portion 3 of said frame-piece or face-plate, being thence carried over the looped-portion 15 of the other end of said belt or strap, and thence being passed through the rectangular opening 4 at its opposite end and beneath said transversely extending end-portion 3 of said frame-piece or face-plate. This threading of the free end 16 of said belt or strap 14 into operative relation with said clasp or pivotal connection said clamp-frame.

upward movement of the draw-bar 9 and" clamp frame carries upwardly said clamp-' holding member may be easily efiected by holding said clamp-frame slightly spaced away from said frame-piece or face-plate, in the manner illustrated in Fig. 4 of the draw: ings. When the belt or strap has been adjusted, around the person or article with which it is to be used, to the desired degree of tightness, the portion thereof which engages the under side of said draw-bar 9 tends, by reason of the pressure or pull thereon to which it is thus subjected, to'press upwardly toward said framepiece or face-plate said draw-bar 9, thus swinging upon its This bar 11 and causes theengaging edge 12 thereof to contact with the belt or strap and press thesame firmly and tightly against the inner or holding edge 13 of said transversely extending end-portion 30f said frame-piece or face plate, thus it will be apparent that said strap or belt end 16 is firmly and se 4 curely held against. movement in either direction by reason of its being thus clamped. between said end-portion 3 and saidclamp bar 11, (as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings), and the greater the strain or pull upon the belt or strap, the greater is the upward pressure upon the draw-bar 9, and

consequently the greater is the clamping pressure of, the clamp bar 11 upon said belt or strap. The clamped engagement of the free end 16 of said belt or strap 14, as thus effected, may be easily and quickly released so that the belt or strap will move freely and easily in either direction through said threaded engagement with said clasp or between the same, (as is clearly illustrated 3 -in Fig. 4 of the drawings).

From the foregoing description of; the present invention it will b'eclearly evident that I have devised'a simply constructed clasp or holding device for belts,"straps and the like, which possess a very simple and highly efiicient clamping action, no matter. how great the strain or pull upon said belt,

strap or the like, but-which'may be easily and quicklyreleased from its clamping relation' to said belt, strap or the like.

I am aware that some changesmay be made in the general arrangements and combinations of the several parts of the device without departing from the scope of the present invention asset forth in theforegoing specification and claimed. Hence, I do not limit my present invention to the exact arrangements and combinationsofth'e several devices andparts as described in the said specification, nor do I confine myself to the exact details of the construction of the said parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings; 3

I claim 1. A belt-buckle comprising a main frame piece having side-portions and end portions and a laterallyfextending pintle-member having its end-portions connected withwthe side-portions of said. frame-piece, and a clamp-frame pivotally connected with said! pintle-Inember'and arranged upon the under s de of saldmaln frame-p1ece,- sa1d clamptions of the .clamp fraine and providing an opening forthe reception of the free endportion of the belt-strap, said draw-bar, in when the. clamp-frame is cl'osed against the under face of the frame-piece, lyingagainst a H the under face of one end-portlon of'saldv frame piece with the inner marginal edgeportion ofthe draw-bar beyond the inner arranged so that a pull upon the inserted port on of the belt-strap in adirection away marginal'edge-portion of the said 1ast-men- I tione'dend-portion of the frame-piece, all

from saidend-portionf'of the framepiece I, i

in frictional holding engagement by the inner marginal edge portion of saidgeiidportion of the frame-piece and the oppowill causethebelt-strap to be firmly clamped sitely placed edge-portions of. the draw bar and the clamp-bar of the clamp-frame,v sub- 'stantially'as and for the purposes set forth.

2. A belt-buckle comprising a main framepiece having side-portions andend-portions, perforated hinge-knuckles extending from the lower faces of said side-portions, a pintle-member mounted in said hinge-knuckles, and a clamp-frame pivotally connected with said pintle-member and arranged upon the under side of said main frame-piece, said clamp-frame comprising side portions, a laterally extending draw-barland a laterally extending clamp-bar, said draw-bar and the clamp-bar being both connected with the side-portions of the clamp-frame and providing an opening for the reception of the free endportion of the belt-strap, said drawbar, when the clamp-frame is closed against the under face of the frame-piece, lying against the underface of one end-portion of said frame-piece with the inner marginal edge-portion of: the draw-bar beyond the inner marginal edge-portion of the said lastmentioned end-portion of the frame-piece, all arranged so that a pull upon the inserted portion of the belt-strap in a direction away from said end-portion of the framepiece will cause the belt-strap to be firmly clamped in frictional holding engagement by the inner marginal edge-portion of said end-portion of the frame-piece and the oppositely placed edge-portions of the draw-bar and the clamp-bar of the clamp-frame, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony, that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 29th day of June 1912. a

BENJAMIN RUHMANN.

Witnesses:

GEORGE D. RICHARDS, 1 FBEDK. W. FRAENTZEL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

